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Here are 15 jobs at Microsoft that will pay you more than $170,000 a year

Matt Weinberger and Kaylee Fagan

Updated

2018-06-05T20:33:00Z

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Microsoft is on the upswing, thanks to CEO Satya Nadella.

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Customers love Microsoft, Wall Street loves Microsoft, and, importantly, developers and engineers increasingly love Microsoft.

Which means that it is attracting some top talent — and continues to pay them the big bucks to keep them around.

Here are the top-earning jobs at Microsoft, with data taken from Glassdoor.

To keep things fair, we chose jobs with only six or more salaries reported on the jobs site, plus a few odd-jobs here and there that are worth spotlighting:

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If you're a Creative Director, you're helping Microsoft define the look and feel of its software. You can make $180,789, or $190,869 in total compensation.

microsoft surface hub

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Microsoft Principal Development Managers have climbed their way up the ladder among Microsoft's engineering teams, and make $180,812, or $292,500 in total compensation.

programmers hacking office work computers

Microsoft Senior Researchers have one of the coolest jobs going: They lead scientific discovery into new technologies, like the Microsoft HoloLens goggles. They can make $186,925, or $292,455 in total compensation.

nasa hololens — NASA astronauts test the HoloLens on the C9 Weightless Wonder jet. NASA

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Microsoft's Principal Directors of Program Management help coordinate the teams of engineers working on products and features. They make $185,083, or $303,959 in total compensation.

Microsoft

Across all business units, which might include functions like Sales or Accounting, a Senior Director title usually carries a $201,000 salary, with $310,000 in total compensation.

film director

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A Senior Director of Marketing works under CMO Chris Capossela to spread the good word of Microsoft. They make $195,882, with $339,327 in total compensation.

microsoft cmo chris capossela — Chris Capossela, Microsoft's chief marketing officer. Microsoft

A Product Unit Manager leads up a specific product team, like Xbox Live or Visual Studio. They make $195,946 in base salary, or $310,865 in total compensation.

cricket players huddle

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Microsoft is an engineering-focused company, so a Director of Engineering can make $196,677 in a year, or $346,247 in total compensation.

programmers, Microsoft programmers

Senior directors of business development can make $203,452 in base salary, or $339,014 in total compensation. It's their job to help lead partnerships, investments, outreach, and other ways of working with outside companies.

Peggy Johnson Microsoft — Peggy Johnson onstage at Business Insider's IGNITION conference. Business Insider/Michael Seto

Executive VP Peggy Johnson, pictured, leads business development at Microsoft, although not all of these employees would report into her group.

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A Director of Development is a senior manager helping oversee the creation of any new Microsoft product, like the Surface Book 2 laptop. They can make $205,297 a year, with $426,689 in total compensation.

Microsoft Surface Book 2

Big companies like Microsoft need plenty of well-paid General Managers to keep things humming along. A GM makes $217,928 in base salary, or $464,005 in total.

Microsoft Office Small Business Academy

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Outside of the engineering organization, Microsoft pays its other employees well, too. With the company pushing for a so-called "Digital Geneva Convention" amid the rising threat of cyberwarfare, the company needs lawyers, too. That's why a Microsoft Senior Attorney can make $196,044, or $286,470 with total compensation.

Brad Smith Microsoft General Counsel — Brad Smith, Microsoft's president and chief legal officer. Microsoft

Similarly, Human Resources is vital in a company as big as Microsoft. HR Directors can make $177,959, or $241,361 with total compensation.

human resources

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And, of course, it's good to be the boss. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella earned $20 million in total compensation in the last full fiscal year. But his risks are tied to the rewards: If Microsoft doesn't hit sales targets, he stands to lose millions.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Reuters/Shannon Stapleton

Microsoft

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